Chelsea news LIVE updates: Follow here for the latest news from Stamford Bridge.
Thursday September 14
Hazard hails signings
09:48: Chelsea forward Eden Hazad has hailed his side’s signings in the summer window.
He told the Evening Standard: “It is important for Chelsea to have a strong bench because this season we have a lot of games.
“We are fighting for the Premier League, League Cup, FA Cup and Champions League, so we need to be ready for all of that.
“All of Chelsea’s signings are internationals. You need quality when you play for this club because we want to win a lot of things.”
Kante on Drinky
09:01: Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante is looking forward to winning more silverware with former Leicester team-mate Danny Drinkwater.
“I am pleased for him to come into Chelsea,” Kante said.
“We need everyone, especially after our time together in Leicester. I hope it could be something like Leicester or even more, I hope.
“We did a special year together in Leicester to win the league. It wasn’t expected.
“I really enjoyed the season that I spent with him and I am happy that he chose to join Chelsea and I am happy to play with him again.”
Diego Costa latest
08:11: What is going on with Diego Costa? Here’s the top three stories on Chelsea’s wantaway striker…
Atletico Madrid are increasingly confident they have made a breakthrough in negotiations to re-sign 28-year-old forward Diego Costa from Chelsea – Sky Sports
Atletico are hopeful of concluding the deal for Costa within the next fortnight – Daily Mail
Costa was due to arrive back in London from Sao Paulo on a flight on Tuesday, but his ticket went unused. – Spanish sports paper Marca
Bellamy previews Chelsea v Arsenal
05:00: Craig Bellamy believes Sunday’s crunch clash between Arsenal and Chelsea could be all over inside the first half hour.
Former Anfield star Bellamy believes Chelsea will prove too much for Wenger’s side when they meet on Sunday.
“If Chelsea go at it with any intensity they will blow Arsenal out of the water,” Bellamy told Sky Sports’ The Debate.
“This game could be over in the first half hour.”
Craig Bellamy on Eden Hazard
03:00: Eden Hazard should have attracted more interest in the summer transfer window, according to Craig Bellamy.
Chelsea have made a solid start to the season, picking up nine points from their first four games, and Hazard hasn’t started in any of them due to injury.
The Blues ran out 3-1 winners, with Hazard scoring with a sublime solo effort.
And Bellamy is surprised there wasn’t much focus on Hazard, who was linked to Real Madrid in the early part of the summer.
“Hazard should have attracted more interest,” Bellamy told Sky Sports’ The Debate.
“Even this year with the transfer market and maybe because he was injured, I was surprised it was all quiet on him.”
Roy Keane on Diego Costa
00:15: Roy Keane has torn into Diego Costa labelling him a ‘balloon’ and is in no doubt Chelsea are better off without him.
While Costa was an instrumental part of their title triumph last term, Keane thinks Chelsea wouldn’t struggle if the striker left.
“Chelsea would be better off without Diego [Costa],” Keane told ITV Sport.
“The guy is big trouble and I know he has done well for them.
“He looks a bit of a balloon, so they should get rid of him and get players in that want to be there.”
Wednesday September 13
Ferdinand backs Chelsea
21:45: Rio Ferdinand thinks Chelsea will be the English team which goes furthest in the Champions League this season.
“They are a very well balanced team,” the former Manchester United defender told BT Sport.
“The manager works hard and from what you hear from within the camp, he drills them daily on tactics and they have an understanding of each other as individuals and as a team.
“In that sense, they are our best hope, as an English team.
“With the other teams, you can see deficiencies. Man United, defensively, could come unstuck against the top teams. Man City, the same.
“Attacking, they’re both fantastic, but Chelsea are very well-rounded.”
Jose too demanding – Lampard
17.30: Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho is too demanding for some players, according to Chelsea legend Frank Lampard.
The former England midfielder claims the Manchester United boss had a massive influence on his career but says he is not every player’s cup of tea.
“He changed my career personally when he came in, he gave me a self confidence,” Lampard said on BT Sport.
“He’s very confident in himself, he portrays that to his players, I really enjoyed it.
“But some players can find him too demanding.”
GETTY
Diego Costa has refused to return to Chelsea’s training ground
Morata like Kane – Hoddle
16.00: Chelsea striker Alvaro Morata is a similar player to Tottenham and England star Harry Kane, according to Glenn Hoddle.
Hoddle says Morata has every attribute you want from a striker and reckons he can get even better.
“Left foot, right foot, headers, a little bit like Harry Kane does. He’s got everything about him,” Hoddle said on BT Sport.
“He’s got a wonderful frame, so you can hit him as a target. He’s got what I call three-quarter pace.
“He’s not as quick as Michael (Owen) was, but he’s got three-quarters pace. He’s no slouch.”
Hazard cannot be sold – Hoddle
15.30: Eden Hazard is vital to Chelsea if they want to challenge for both the Premier League and Champions League, according to Glen Hoddle.
The ex-England boss says Hazard is one of the best in the world and Chelsea cannot afford to sell him if they want to compete both domestically and in Europe.
“We see his talent here, he’s two footed, left and right foot, he creates but look at that for a finish, that is world class,” Hoddle said on BT Sport.
“If Chelsea are going to hang onto him long term and go for Champions League and for the Premier League at the same time, they must keep Eden Hazard.
“There’s no doubt about it, he’s a top, top quality player. It’s good to see him back.”
Zappacosta did not mean goal
13:46: Chelsea wing-back Davide Zappacosta did not mean his goal in the Champions League clash against Qarabag, says Michael Owen.
“Not a cat in hells chance (did he mean that),” he said on BT Sport of the Chelsea man.
“No way was that a shot. But fair play to him, it was a brilliant run and he deserved it for his positivity.
“That first touch showed his intent, even before you saw where his eyes were and his head was lifting, you just know, you can’t shoot from there.
“Nobody would shoot from there. He lifts his head up and looks across the pitch, no way.
“The way he wraps his foot around the ball, he just mishits it an inch, an inch and a half and that caused the ball to go straight into the near post.”
Conte on changes
11:15: Antonio Conte admits he made five changes in the 6-0 win over Qarabag last night to give Chelsea’s fringe players a chance to prove themselves.
“I wanted to give a good chance to Michy, and also to Christensen,” Conte told the club’s official website.
“To play in the Champions League means the coach trusts you. My message tonight was this. I trust all my players, not only with words but with facts.
“For the first game in the Champions League I decided to start with rotation. Also because we have to start the process to improve our players.
“If we think we can play with 13 players like last season, we are crazy.”
Timo Werner
08:55: Timo Werner says he would consider joining Chelsea – although there are other big clubs on his radar.
RB Leipzig forward Werner has already scored four goals in four outings this season.
The 21-year-old’s future is secure for now – he is contracted until 2020 and does not have a release clause.
“So far, I have progressed very well with Leipzig,” he told Sport Bild.
“That is why I do not think what is ahead in one, two or three years.
“Of course I want to play at a big club. But, we have not yet come to terms with the development at Leipzig. Perhaps RB will be a big club too – I’m quite sure.
“In Spain there are a maximum of three clubs with Barca, Real and Atletico Madrid. In England there are a few more: Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham, Liverpool, Manchester United and Manchester City.
“FC Bayern is also a big club, but for me it is not a topic that I am concerned with.”
Chelsea depth
08:00: Glenn Hoddle reckons Chelsea have the strength in depth to compete for the Premier League and Champions League trophies.
Concerns over Chelsea’s squad have been raised after a frenetic transfer window.
But Hoddle is confident Antonio Conte has this squad prepared for the challenges ahead.
“That’s what you want, competition in every place,” Hoddle said on BT Sport.
“(N’Golo) Kante goes off, (Tiemoue) Bakayoko comes on and scores a goal and looks the part.
“They’ve got a squad now that goes really deep and they can challenge on four fronts.
“Probably the Premier League and Champions League are their priorities.
“But they’ve got the squad now to do that.”
GETTY
Davide Zappacosta admits his goal had an element of fortune
Diego Costa update
05:15: Diego Costa could reportedly agree a deal to join Atletico Madrid this week.
Costa has so far gone AWOL, refusing to return to Chelsea for training.
Atletico are barred from signing players until January as they are under a transfer embargo.
And according to Spanish paper Marca, the Blues have softened their stance on Costa returning and are happy to enter negotiations with Atletico.
The report says the fee could reach £54m, which would make Costa their most expensive signing.
To be honest I wanted to cross it, but I caught it well and it ended up in the goal
Antonio Conte claim
04:45: Antonio Conte reckons Chelsea defender Cesar Azpilicueta is a dream to coach.
Pedro, Davide Zappacosta, Tiemoue Bakayoko and Michy Batshuayi weighed in with goals too against Qarabag last night, before Maksim Medvedev’s own goal sealed the win for Chelsea.
But Antonio Conte was quick to praise heap praise on the Spain international, branding him one of the best full-backs in the world.
“I think in this position, as a central defender, he’s one of the best in the world,” Conte said.
“He’s very good with the ball, very good without the ball.”
Davide Zappacosta goal cleared up
04:15: Davide Zappacosta has revealed that he did NOT mean to score on his debut for Chelsea against Qarabag.
Pedro, Zappacosta, Cesar Azpilicueta, Tiemoue Bakayoko and Michy Batshuayi weighed in with goals as Maksim Medvedev’s own goal put the final nail in the coffin.
But it was Zappacosta’s goal which was one of the main talking points of the game.
The Italy international, who signed for the Blues on deadline day for £23million from Torino, made a sublime run down the right flank and scored with a cross-cum-shot which looped into the top left corner.
But the right wing-back admitted that his debut goal was not intentional as he was meant to cross the ball for one of his team-mates to score.
“To be honest I wanted to cross it, but I caught it well and it ended up in the goal,” he said.